The George Hincapie Short List

USA Pro Cycling Challenge

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Credit: Doug Pensinger / Getty Images

Hincapie's last race will be the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, which begins in Durango, Colorado this Monday and ends with a time trial into Denver six days later. "It's important to me to finish in the United States," the Queens, New York-born cyclist told us over the phone, while acclimating to the altitude in Park City, Utah. He's ending with a tough haul: Every stage but the last surpasses the elevation of Col de la Bonnette, the highest point during the Tour de France. But the main factor in the race is altitude. "No one is used to 10,000 and in some cases 12,000 feet," he says. It's also no small challenge to simply keep your eyes on the road: Passing through Telluride, Aspen, Crested Butte, and Beaver Creek is the most picturesque asphalt in the Rockies. "One notable place is Independence Pass. The scenery there is spectacular."